Baseball's future finds a home at the Little League World Series, and this year's iteration of the competition is no exception.
The 2024 competition in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, has introduced countless baseball fans young and old to the next generation of the sport’s stars.
No team exemplifies this phenomenon more than Nevada’s Little League side, which represents the Mountain Region in this year’s competition.
Nevada is vying for a spot in the LLWS title game. Along the way, the team has captivated the hearts and minds of those flocking to Williamsport for its games.
Here’s what you need to know about Nevada’s Little League team and its professional sports connections.
MORE: Everything you need to know about the Little League World Series
Where is the Nevada Little League team from?
The Nevada Little League team — Paseo Verde Little League — hails from Henderson, the second-most populous city in Nevada.
Numerous athletes old and new are from Henderson, including former NBA All-Stars Jermaine O'Neal and Paul Pierce and Nationals slugger Joey Gallo.
MORE: IsLLWS standout Gunnar Gaudin related to Chad Gaudin?
Nevada Little League World Series roster at 2024 Little League World Series
Nevada's Little League World Series team consists of 12 players, the number of players on each team's roster at the 2024 Little League World Series.
Position | Name | Age | Birthplace |
LF/2B/C | Gunner Beranek | 12 years, 3 months | Henderson, NV |
2B/LF | Luke Lentz | 12 years, 3 months | Henderson, NV |
P/RF/3B | Gunnar Gaudin | 12 years, 10 months | Henderson, NV |
CF | Caleb Gomez | 12 years, 3 months | Henderson, NV |
2B/LF | Jimmy Foss | 12 years, 8 months | Henderson, NV |
C/CF | Parker Soranaka | 12 years, 2 months | Henderson, NV |
P/1B | Noah Letalu | 12 years, 0 months | Henderson, NV |
OF | Dominic Laino | 12 years, 11 months | Henderson, NV |
P/SS/2B | Russell McGee | 11 years, 7 months | Henderson, NV |
P/3B/SS | Wyatt Erickson | 12 years, 9 months | Las Vegas, NV |
P/1B/OF | Liam Sparks | 12 years, 3 months | Las Vegas, NV |
P/1B/3B | Oliver Johnson | 12 years, 10 months | Henderson, NV |
Here's what you need to know about some of Paseo Verde's most prominent names during its 2024 tournament run:
Gunner Beranek
Beranek is a jack-of-all-trades in Adam Johnson's lineup, filling in at left field, second base and catcher when needed. He's shown his value across the diamond in Nevada's run to LLWS glory, leaping to reel in an unruly liner before sprinting to second to take two earlier in the tournament. It was just the sort of play that would make Marcus Semien proud.
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 9, 2024What a snag from Gunner Beranek 😱
Nevada snags and tags to turn a double play!
📺: ESPN | #LLWS pic.twitter.com/vpjIsKS3gs
Luke Lentz
Equally adept at playing left field and second base, Lentz has impressed with his batting chops in this year's tournament. He contributed an RBI in Paseo Verde Little League's 3-2 victory over Hawaii's Central East Maui on Monday.
— Henderson Silver Knights (@HSKnights) August 19, 2024Congrats to Paseo Verde Little League on their 3-2 victory this afternoon! Our three stars of the game:
⭐️: #7, Luke Lentz
⭐️⭐️: #8, Gunnar Gaudin
⭐️⭐️⭐️: #16, Dominic Laino pic.twitter.com/xh4PitC4Ux
Gunnar Gaudin
If Gaudin's name looks familiar, that's because it is. The 5-5 righty is the son of former Oakland Athletics pitcher Chad Gaudin.
The apple didn't fall far from the tree with the younger Gaudin, who showcased eye-catching velocity and efficiency in Paseo Verde's 3-2 win over Hawaii on Monday. Gaudin threw a complete game, whiffing five runners in six innings to earn the win. He was remarkably deliberate with his delivery; of the 78 pitches Gaudin threw on Monday afternoon, 58 were strikes.
“It’s fun for me,” Gaudin said, per Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I think I thrive in these situations. It’s not all me. I give credit to my dad, my coaches and my team for being behind me.”
Strike 'em out ➡️ Throw 'em out FOR THE WIN#LLWS pic.twitter.com/2MZ6DeCwMc
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 19, 2024
Caleb Gomez
Gomez mans center field with vigor, trotting all across the pasture to turn away opposition batters. His game is eerily similar to that of Byron Buxton, Kevin Kiermaier and a young Mike Trout; Gomez possesses impressive range and a willingness to get himself dirty when needed. He gave fans a glimpse of his fielding star power earlier in the tourney, vaulting to secure a treacherous blooper.
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 8, 2024Caleb Gomez swoops in to get an out for Nevada 🦸♂️
📺: ESPN | #LLWS pic.twitter.com/G6piVbJowY
Parker Soranaka
Soranaka has proved himself to be one of the Little League World Series' most talented backstops thus far. The 4-foot-9 catcher he set up the game-clinching double-play during Paseo Verde's 3-2 victory over Hawaii, firing an arrow to first after Gaudin produced a strike out to turn a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play.
Paseo Verde catcher Parker Soranaka chases down South Shore’s Chace Curro to record an out in the fifth inning of a 9-1 victory in a Little League World Series opener. Photo by Gene J. Puskar of The Associated Press. pic.twitter.com/9LfNlnQRvY
— Karl Kistner (@KistnerKarl) August 16, 2024
Noah Letalu
Equally adept at both the mound and the plate, Noah Letalu has made quite the impact for Paseo Verde in its foray in the 2024 Little League World Series.
Letalu's 5-foot-7 frame befits slugging excellence. Opposition pitchers know this all too well, with Hawaii attempting to pitch around Letalu with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning. It didn't work out. Letalu took first on a walk, driving in the eventual game-winning run in the process.
Russell McGee
McGee has become quite the sensation during this year's LLWS. A big reason why is his budding relationship with Yankees star Jazz Chisholm, who referred to the 11-year old as his "little brother" and vowed to help McGee make it to the bigs when the time is right.
Chisholm is McGee's favorite player. The similarities between the two are easy to see. Much like Chisholm, McGee too has starred at both second base and shortstop. He also moonlights as a pitcher. And according to Chisholm, the Paseo Verde standout reminds him of his younger self.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 19, 2024Russell McGee, a Little Leaguer from Nevada, is Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s biggest fan.
Which made the shared bus ride at Williamsport with the Yankees' star that much more special.
“I’m going to be your big brother from here on," Chisholm told him.https://t.co/kbAVv1rx7c pic.twitter.com/mToEcBJzla
Wyatt Erickson
Erickson has been arguably Paseo Verde's most impressive performer thus far. A pitching dynamo who also offers strong defense in shortstop and third base, Erickson thrust himself into the national consciousness with a no-hitter against Utah to send Nevada into the LLWS.
WYATT ERICKSON THROWS A NO-HITTER TO SEND NEVADA TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YG3KDlgFhz
— ESPN (@espn) August 9, 2024
He's since added to his legacy with glittering displays at the plate, shooting line drives left and right as one of Paseo Verde's most feared sluggers.
Wyatt Erickson sends a rocket to left field, bringing in two Nevada runs 🚀 #LLWS pic.twitter.com/jOhcAjllw2
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 15, 2024
Who is Nevada Little League’s manager?
Nevada Little League’s manager is Adam Johnson, the assistant equipment manager for the Raiders. He has been with the organization for 19 seasons, first joining the club when it was located in Oakland.
A native of Minden, Nevada, he originally taught history and geography in a junior high school before moving to Henderson with the Raiders in 2020. Currently, he oversees "practice equipment logistics, quarterback ball preparation, and practice and game apparel for staff, coaches and players."
While the Raiders have been getting prepared for a Super Bowl run this season, Johnson has been traveling back and forth from Costa Mesa, where the football club holds training camp, and San Bernardino, where the Paseo Verde team was clinching its spot as the Mountain Region team for the LLWS.
"Sometimes it would take me an hour and 20 minutes to get there, sometimes longer," Johnson said to ESPN. "I was definitely fortunate to help [the Raiders] on those days, and being here with these kids, who have earned the right to play on, it's been magic."
The journey has indeed been magic thus far for Johnson and his crew. They’ll hope to keep conjuring up spells en route to a potential world title, the first in the state’s history.
